Cryogenic detector post

Abstract

A cooled infrared detector post includes a detector post formed of a stack of wafer disks with a detector substrate wafer forming one end of the post and a cooling chamber adjacent to the detector substrate with coolant supply and return passages formed in the series of wafers with a supply passage contained to a supply port with a supply passage forming a plurality of serpentine passages at various planes within the post and a return passage including a plurality of precooling chambers with the wafer stacked in a predetermined arrangement and fused together to form a monolithic post structure.

We claim: 
     
       1. A cryogenic detector post, comprising: an elongated monolithic body member having a mounting end and a sensing end on which sensors are mounted, said body member being constructed of a plurality of nonconductive wafers stacked together and connected into a unitary structure,   an inlet port for communicating with a source of high pressure gas;   an outlet port for exhausting gas;   a cooling chamber at said sensing end; and   said wafers having interconnecting passageway means formed therein for communicating said inlet port with said cooling chamber along a gas supply path and communicating said cooling chamber with said outlet port along a gas return path.   
     
     
       2. A cryogenic detector post according to claim 1 wherein: said sensing end is defined by a generally circular plane surface; and   said cooling chamber has a generally circular configuration.   
     
     
       3. A detector post according to claim 2 wherein said sensing end is defined by a circular nonconductive wafer. 
     
     
       4. A detector post according to claim 3 wherein said cooling chamber is formed in said wafer. 
     
     
       5. The detector post of claim 4, wherein said passageway means defining said supply path includes a plurality of serpentine passages formed at various planes within the post to direct said gas along serpentine paths at each of said planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said post. 
     
     
       6. The detector post of claim 5, wherein said serpentine paths are formed in selected ones of said wafers, said selected wafers having serpentine grooves formed across their faces, and the wafers interposed between said selected wafers having passageway means arranged to interconnect opposed ends of said serpentine grooves from one selected wafer to the next throughout said supply path. 
     
     
       7. The detector post of claim 4 wherein said passgeway means includes outlet passageway means including a plurality of precooling chambers. 
     
     
       8. The detector post of claim 1, wherein said passageway means are formed in said individual wafers prior to fusing. 
     
     
       9. The detector post of claim 1 wherein said post is of a generally cylindrical configuration. 
     
     
       10. A cryogenic detector post, comprising: an elongated monolithic body member having a mounting end and a sensing end on which sensors are mounted;   said body member comprising a plurality of nonconducting wafers stacked one on top of each other and fused into a unitary structure;   said body member having an inlet port for communicating with a source of high pressure gas and an outlet port for exhausting gas;   said wafers being formed with passageway means prior to fusing for providing separate inlet and outlet paths for gas, said inlet path communicating said inlet port with said cooling chamber and said outlet path communicating said cooling chamber with said outlet port; and   selected ones of said wafers having serpentine grooves formed across their faces for providing a plurality of serpentine passages at various planes within said post in said inlet path.